In The Light of Renewal: John Tolliver 2/22/2076

Today was the day to finally attend the appointment at Family Spring. It wasn’t as horrible an experience as I expected, but still, it did little to assuage my concerns about the entire enterprise, at least at this time in my life. I can’t remember the name of the man who was my attendant, only that he kept referring to himself as my “herald” which seems almost too ridiculous. He was waiting in a small room as soon as I entered, and checked to insure my identity. It was the kind of room Father would have appreciated. It felt formal, traditional, and had a few chairs along the side. I called to Benji to let him know that if he preferred waiting inside to waiting in the car, there was a place for him. Old Benji stayed in the car as usual though, probably watching some silly thing on Nature’s Bliss. I’ve told him to expand his interests numerous times, but he’s just too set in his ways by now. He says he never got to see many of the animals the channel highlights when they were still able to be found in the wild, and swears he’ll make it to a zoo someday. He has become a well spring of trivia about them though. 

After my identity was confirmed, my attendant lead me through the door at the back of the room, into a second room. It was a long,  and running out from the same wall as the door we’d walked through, I noticed another door on the adjoining wall to my right. Each wall to my left and right was lined with two long sofas each, and in the center a small, light colored wood table, covered in a white cloth. Along the walls were paintings which I assume were meant to speak to the respect for tradition this entire farce has. Men on horses, following dogs. Old sailing ships. One of the Authentic Heritage Administration headquarters. Not everyone is in the news business though, so I image the majority of clients find it less quaint and more comforting than I.

My attendant ushered me over toward the table, asking me if I’d like a drink, and I was glad of it, as there had been some variety of tomfoolery at the landing area, and Benji and I had to wait ten minutes for my car to arrive and then they had apparently thought I was going to be in need of a driver. Why on earth would I have Benji with me, if I was going to need one of their drivers? Ghastly stupidity, really. Some of these people probably can’t even spell their own names, but they’re expected to be able to handle the necessities of scheduling. It’s not their fault really. They’ve no clue what my schedule might look like on a full day, as all they need ever do is go from home to work and home to work. If they were of better breeding and capabilities, they probably couldn’t suffer such dull lives. I guess it’s why we have to have such dullards in these positions. 

I do have to compliment them on the quality of their Manhattan at Family Springs though. It might have been about the most perfect I’ve ever tasted, though I do truly enjoy Marco’s at the club, this would give it a run for its money. Should I have to return, I must be sure to order another. 

We got through the non-disclosure agreement they require be signed, on top of the various other releases I signed when I contracted them in the first place. He explained the women participating need to be assured of privacy, for various reasons. I barely remember the details of most of the profiles I looked at to begin with, I can’t imagine why I’d care to repeat any of it to anyone. Though I assume there is some possibility people end up seeing old classmates or some such. My attendant then went through the rest of the process, saying he was sure I’d already availed myself of the information they provided, but that as busy a man as myself might not remember it. I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or insulted. Was I so important, there was no way something like a basic routine wouldn't have to be shuffled out of my memory for more important things or was I the variety of dullard as I’d found at the landing pad that afternoon? I was very tempted to ask, just to see him squirm a bit, but I wasn’t looking to prolong the process with his groveling. 

After signing the last of the documents they require, I was lead into a third room. Equal in length to the second, but more narrow. This time it was a marbled floor in a checkered patterned. They clearly spared no expense, as well they shouldn’t for what this nonsense costs. The portraits on the walls this time were of couples, throughout different time periods, smiling warmly out or at each other, in various poses. The eight women stood on small lifts, lights from the floor and ceiling encircling them above and below. I could tell a few of them were a bit nervous as they were stealing glances toward me from the corners of their eyes, trying not to move too much. I had to hide a smile of my own as a result. 

I have to give Family Spring credit. If aesthetics were the single question, they’d have made it an almost impossible decision. All eight were quite beautiful. As I stood in front of each they turned so I might have a good look at them. A few even blushed because I’d remembered their names from the profiles I’d been sent. All of them seemed well mannered, which is to be expected to have made it that far through the process. My attendant handed me a tablet which pulled up the profile of each as I moved to where she stood. I found something to comment or ask about for each as I made my way. They all seem like lovely girls really. The third girl must have recognized me from a publicity piece, as she responded, “I recognized you immediately Mr. Tolliver. Who wouldn’t?” causing a slight gasp from one of the girls behind me. I wish I’d have been able to see her surprise when she realized she was on the list for the CEO, owner of Tollivision. She did ruin things a bit though, as it’s supposed to be relatively anonymous, so the girls might choose a man based more on his interactions with her than his position, but I can’t say it didn’t give me a twinge of thrill for the rest to know just who might be choosing them for the next part of the process. 

All of them had the basic education which would be expected of their backgrounds, so that wasn’t of much help in making a decision, and I needed to appear as if I was attempting to make an actual decision, so I asked a few about the non-obligatory elements of their educations. It was at that point, in talking to the third girl, Vera, when it was clear why she recognized me. She’d chosen some classes in primary media forms. My father would have figured prominently, and as such, so would my mother and I. 

I did an ancillary walk to insure it seemed as if I was making a considered decision, said my goodbyes and went back to the first room with the attendant. I did feel bad to some degree, as I thought I was probably wasting some of those poor girls time, but I also know they’ll continue in the process and at some point they’ll probably be chosen. They were all from such excellent stock, so beautiful and really, I could have just chosen any of them if I genuinely wanted to get married and begin a family right now. I thought that like me, they were just imprisoned by expectations. I told the attendant of the three girls I was portraying interest in, Vera being one. He told me to take a seat where I felt comfortable, be it one of the couches or the table, and he’d bring the first girl in shortly. 

He returned with the first girl, Kayleigh, after minute or two. Along with him came a servant, who asked if we might like something to drink or something from a small list of appetizers. We went through what became routine where I told her I’d order for her if I knew what she preferred, and her ordering a drink, me ordering a drink, asking if she would like something to eat, and the attendant telling us he’d check back in 30 minutes to see if we needed more time. 

Kayleigh seemed like a nice enough girl, very attentive, well spoken, and only slightly nervous for the first few minutes. I shouldn’t lie to myself though, I chose her because she’d taken some non-obligatory classes in event planning, and in the moment I thought it might be nice to have an expert to refer all those needs of company and required social events to. The less I’m required to consider them, the better, but Kayleigh seemed a bit provincial for my tastes, which I should have really expected for a girl from a family who gained favor with the Party because they own orchards. Some Party members enjoy their little delights a bit too much, but that’s not news to anyone such as myself. After the thirty minutes, I let the attendant know I thought we were finished, and she did look a bit crestfallen, but I’m sure she was fine later, as again, in favor of keeping up appearances, I told the attendant I would like to see all three girls again. 

Vera was brought out next, and we went through the same perfunctory routine about ordering. I got quickly to asking where she’d recognized me from. It turned out I was right, there had been a whole section in her primary media lessons on my father, so myself and my mother had naturally been included. I did like the bit she added that I was hard to forget. She’s a woman who knows what she’s doing, that’s respectable at least. We spoke about the company, some of the new affiliates she was familiar with, she told me about her family, having made their place in electronics manufacturing, pleasantly surprising to hear she was of the Delphonics Electronics family. It made perfect sense she’d have been interested in and relatively well versed in media. I don’t know if she was playing at being nervous to be coy or if she really was, but I did find it endearing. I have to say, I enjoyed our conversation far more than the other two, and had I not decided beforehand I wasn’t going to take more than the obligatory thirty minutes, continuing to talk with her would have been no dire chore. 

The last girl was brought to me, Ashlynn, and again we did the dance of ordering etc. I was somewhat surprised she ordered a martini, as it’s not usually considered a very feminine cocktail, but maybe she thought it would distinguish her from the others to be bold. Again though, I have to be honest, I chose Ashlynn because she bore a striking physical resemblance to a girl I’d often spent time with at The Club when I was younger, until she was no longer employed there. They could have been fraternal twins. The same shape and color eyes, a kind of light, warm brown, the same shape of their nose and cheek bones. It was uncanny really. I wonder if there is any distant relation. My hopes were dashed though, as Ashlynn was the least interesting to converse with. She gave an impression of being barely interested in what I had to say, and seemed to be being polite in her conversation, only to let the time pass. It was almost as if she would be the one advancing my status and station if she chose me and she should be interviewing, instead of the other way around. We keep up appearances and all, but we also know what the truth is. 

I told the attendant to forward me all three girls contact information and he was free to give them the contact information I had on record, which is Benji’s cam, and my mail. Benji can set up meetings with them as necessary. I did tell Benji to give Vera a real meeting though, nothing that was going to just immediately be cut short by “an emergency.” 

All of that done, Benji and I headed back to the landing pad. I was looking forward to an evening at The Club, and being able to relax a bit. We landed, made it to the house so I could put something more casual on and as we were heading out of the driveway, I got a cam from Davis Johnson, the new Regional Party Administrator. He was quite green. Apparently, somewhere near Richmond, a bomb plot had been foiled. They were going to bomb the Capitol. Fortunately, Leader Frakes is in California on Party business, so he was never in danger, but still, a plot got so far as to be planned, have the materials and for the various participants to leave from their homes and arrive in Richmond. Worse, one of those conspirators is from the region TolliVision covers. 

Johnson, a pig of a man who makes me want to vomit looking at him, was on and on about how terrible this is for us. I was perplexed by his use of the plural, until he began to question me about how this had happened and how they could have been communicating without TolliVision picking up a signal. I repeated, and repeated that we have been monitoring all banned frequencies, and haven't seen nor heard anything since two months ago when two kids had found an old transmitting device in some abandoned structure. We alerted Safety and Protection Brotherhood and they retrieved the device, quite well scaring the children into pissing themselves as a lesson. There has been nothing else since, and before that it had been months. Some half brained subversive started broadcasting banned songs, six months ago. Safety and Protection found him after three weeks, because he wasn’t hiding nearly as well as he thought, and tracing tech has advanced without being publicly revealed. 

Worse, Johnson is of an intellectual ability which is roughly equivalent to that of the children we mercifully euthanize now. He was just born a few years early to have been put out of his and everyone else’s misery at his existence, but has a particular talent for ingratiating is lips to Party members posteriors, as Father would have put it. He’s just stupid enough not to ask whether or not there was a  bomb plot or whether this is something a National Party member is using as some kind of excuse to sack another Party member whose position he wants. If there is no real bomb plot, he and as a result of his stupidity, I, will be chasing phantoms as we search for the links in the chain. Who knows really, in the moment, I didn’t think to ask Johnson if he had actually spoken directly to anyone from the National Party or if this was coming from someone in the State Party. It’s not inconceivable someone in the State Party has gotten ambitious and needs to get rid of Johnson to have the support they need to make a step up. 

The possibility of a State Party member also means it could be my position being targeted or it could also be someone in Safety and Protection whose position some other ambitious Party member is interested in. I can’t think of anyone in TolliVision who seems to be so bold and have the support of Regional or State Party members, unless they’ve got Johnson’s support somehow, without my knowing, and I'm trust Benji would have caught whiff of something like that already. Father wasn’t very diligent about hiding his disdain for Johnson. It could be that this is some kind of payback. If he gets rid of me, it makes his position more secure, and he’s more likely to find support in moving into the State Party. He might not be bright enough to come up with it, but someone else could be. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for unusual activities in TolliVision. I’ll make sure Benji is aware too. 

I wonder if it could be an affiliate? Could one of our affiliates be getting a bit too big for the boots? Could they have struck some kind of deal with Johnson or someone in the State Party? Andrews would be the obvious bet. His audience has grown considerably, and not doubt his content has that special something. He’s gotten more feature space from us than any single affiliate in years. He’s a shrewd one, and he’s grumbled about the share of ad revenue on a number of occasions, from what I’m told. I must make a note to keep our Affiliates Director a bit closer. If it’s an affiliate, he’d be the perfect partner. Some perks can help make sure he stays loyal. I’ll schedule a reminder to find out his name and bring him in tomorrow, we can have a little chat. I can have him lean on some of the affiliates who cover Charity Springs as well, and see if he can find out why we haven’t heard of this conspirator before, if they really exist. I’ll tell him he can offer a bonus to anyone who brings us the best scoop on this person. A few days at the islands resort should motivate them. Most of them have probably barely been out of their regions or the state. A sun baked island and full service should be something they’d practically kill for. 

Benji had to bring me back to the house, and I spent the night on cam with various Party members from State and Safety and Protection, all of them arguing about who should be held responsible. I had to take a long cam with Dreyer from National Interest Department in order to coordinate the strategy for how this was going to be covered, and then get my department heads from TolliVision rolling on putting the coverage together, starting to lining up all the interviews for tomorrow etc. All of this for what is just as likely to be some over ambitious coat puller as it is to have been an actual plot to bomb anything. 

All I wanted was a relaxing night at The Club, but this mess might keep me away for days.